Thursday 24 November 2016 08:26, UK
England's U21 netball squad are set to be the the supporting act for their senior counterparts in next month's series against Jamaica.
Emily Perry's young guns will compete in three curtain raisers, pitted against Superleague and international opposition as they tackle the Hertfordshire Mavericks, Scottish Thistles and Wasps as part of their preparation for the 2017 Netball Youth Cup.
The Jamaica Series features three fixtures, travelling from London's Copper Box Arena, to Belle Vue (Manchester), before finishing at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
Before each of the senior Roses' clashes with Jamaica's Sunshine Girls, the Young Roses will take to the court - gaining crucial match experience, and offering an added incentive to netball fans to attend each day's play.
Perry's side are eagerly awaiting next July's Youth Cup, to be held in Botswana, and will hoping that the newly-announced ties, against high-level senior opposition, will ensure they hit the ground running this season.
A compelling win at this month's European Qualifiers Tournament, cruising past Northern Ireland (101-26), Scotland (81-24), and Wales (88-18), bodes well for the summer's international action, and the step up in intensity and quality will be a welcome, if testing, development for this ambitious unit.
